Wideband detection of middle ear muscle activation using swept-tone distortion product otoacoustic emissions.

The measurement of efferent-induced suppression of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) using contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) is complicated by potential contamination by the middle ear muscle reflex (MEMR), particularly at moderate to high CAS levels. When logarithmically sweeping primaries are used to measure distortion product otoacoustic emissions, the level and phase of the primaries at the entrance of the ear canal may be monitored simultaneously along with the OAEs elicited by the swept-tones. A method of detecting MEMR activation using swept-tones is presented in which the differences in the primaries in the ear canal with and without CAS are examined, permitting evaluation of MEMR effects over a broad frequency range. A range of CAS levels above and below expected contralateral acoustic reflex thresholds permitted evaluation of conditions with and without MEMR activation.